Dear Jim,

My 1996 Honda Accord (2.2L, L4) started losing coolant, so I took it to the shop, where they told me the problem is a leaky water pump.

I'm definitely having the pump replaced, but the mechanic also advised me to replace the timing belt while I'm at it. It's never been replaced, but the car only has about 70,000 miles on it, and there's no squeaking under the hood or anything like that.

Does his suggestion make sense, or is he just looking to make more money?

-- Pete Laslo

Healthy skepticism is good, bro, but that mechanic's advice sounds valid.

First, your timing belt is a very important part of the car and I always recommend having it replaced, no matter what, every 45,000 miles.

Second, it's a good idea to let them do this now, while you're having other work done -- the timing belt is behind the water pump assembly, so replacing it should only involve a little more labor once the bad pump has been removed. While you're at it, there's also a crankshaft seal back there that should be checked at the same time. Ask your mechanic about it.

If the seal does need replacing, it's only a $5 part.

Anyway, the lesson here is that it's always a good idea to do all you can under the hood while certain parts and systems are more accessible. Your water pump is the big deal here, but check up on other areas while it's easier to get to them. You'll save time and labor costs.

By the way, bro, you mentioned there's no squeaking under the hood. That's great, although the irritating squeak you hear when some cars start up isn't the timing belt, it's the "serpentine" drive belt. A worn timing belt won't alert you with noise before it goes out.

That's bad, because on some cars, if the belt breaks or jumps off track, the resulting loss of coordination between the movement of valves and pistons can actually destroy an engine. See why mechanics take a single belt so seriously?

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Buffalo Jim, owner of Allstate Auto & Marine Repair in Las Vegas, writes a weekly column. Send your automotive questions to him at buffalojim@lasvegasniftynickel.com. If Jim picks your question to answer in Nuts & Bolts, you'll also be the proud recipient of a deck of official Buffalo Jim playing cards, presented in a classy, tin box bearing his hairy image.